OpenSpace is a celebration of life and its challenges. We help make life a celebration, specially for those whom such celebration seems distant and human rights remains a dream. The celebration of life is a fundamental human right that we endorse.

We support the celebration of life by sharing information, resources and solidarity. We provide support in institution development, documentation and training, publishing, human rights education, advocacy and campaigns.

[Foreword: India has vowed to be a socialist, secular, democratic republic. Sadly, all these values are steadily being eroded in the present political developments. About 20 intellectuals, professionals, activists who are working for the fundamental rights of the poor and marginalized and upholding the above mentioned constitutional values are being labeled ‘urban naxals’ and are being harassed no end either as ‘accused’ or as ‘suspects’. Their premises have been raided, their electronic devices seized, serious cases filed. Some are already in prison, others face arrest anytime.

When Shepherds are Silent, the Sheep must Speak
Reflections on 2018, the year gone by

The Year of Our Lord 2018 was an annus horribilis for the Roman Catholic Church in India, specifically the Roman Catholic Clergy in Kerala, Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference (KCBC), Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), Roman Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal, Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, and Cardinal Oswald Gracias. It is not that some of the men in frocks were caught with their pants down – which can be dismissed or at least explained away as individual aberration. No, it is the silence of the brotherhood of the pink frock that makes it a coverup. And coverups, as even children know, are evidence of institutional complicity, connivence and condonation rather than individual weakness. They go right to the top, tarring all in the know and all in positions of responsibility.

Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas SFX, Secretary General, Catholic Bishops' Conference of India has the tagline from Winston Churchill in his letters: ‘Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing, but of reflection’. Where does one start… with the multiple sexual abuse and rape of a housewife by a group of priests violating the confidentiality of the confessional and defiling the sacraments of confession and marriage, or the repeated sexual abuse of a Roman Catholic Nun by a Roman Catholic Bishop… or the shower of petals that greeted him on his release, or the ‘brotherhood’ that ensured prison visitations by fellow bishops but none for the nun, or the sudden death of a prominent supporter-witness?

*“Case against me is nothing but an absolute fabrication”**Stan Swamy*

Maharashtra police held a press conference in Mumbai on August 31, 2018. Additional Director-General (law and order) of Maharashtra police Mr. Parambir Singh told the media that in relation to the incident of Bhima-Koregaon, initially a FIR was lodged on January 8, 2018. According to him the name of Stan Swamy was added in the aforesaid FIR on August 23 along with the names of Arun Fereira, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalvez, Sudha Bhardwaj, Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde.

Misjudged and misled: What the Justices missed in their understanding of SC/ST Act
We break down the existing law in a bid to understand what it really says and whether the apex court had to revisit it and issue guidelines.
By Anita Cheria and Edwin

Over the last 10 years the transgender community in Karnataka has been at the receiving end of different shades of attention and activity in the form of schemes and services from the state government. In the wake of the recently passed Karnataka state transgender (TG) policy, expectations are high and only matched by the urgency of community needs.

The United Nations Democracy Fund invites civil society organizations to apply for project funding. Project proposals may be submitted on-line between 18 November 2016 and 18 December 2016 at www.un.org/democracyfund. You can find guidelines, FAQs and lessons learned for applicants at http://www.un.org/democracyfund/application-materials.

It’s no secret that our society relies on the Internet now more than ever before. And while it has many wonderful benefits, it also poses some dangers. For example, nearly half of all US adults had their personal information hacked in 2014, with data like credit card numbers, home addresses, and even photos ending up in the hands of criminals.

The ‘Vocabulary of commons’ is a socio-linguistic enquiry into the legal and livelihood consequences of the term ‘commons’ – a search for a vocabulary that reflects a commons approach to a life with dignity in harmony with Gaia and communitarian aspirations. It is to strengthen community articulation and make their voices heard in the ongoing efforts of dialogue between communities, academics, practitioners and decision makers. The book is co-authored by over 30 practitioners, intellectuals and researchers.

**If you are looking for a compilation of different articles on UIDAI go to
http://aadhaar-articles.blogspot.com.au/
http://aadhararticles.blogspot.com (AND)
http://www.delicious.com/golisoda/uid**
Periodic updates at http://openspace.org.in/UIDaadhaarsecurity2012

for a humourous take
http://thefishpond.in/edwin/2010/uid-scrapped-nascum-calls-for-bharath-bandh/#more-1041 (AND)
http://openspace.org.in/UIDAadhaartoptenreasons

** A good short guide http://www.scribd.com/doc/64484088/UID-for-Dummies
**their response http://epw.in/epw/uploads/articles/15120.pdf **

Aadhaar, meaning ‘foundation’ or ‘base’ (ironically al-Qa'ida!) is India’s attempt to provide an Unique Identity (UID) number to every person residing in india (and presumably every Indian citizen whether living in India or not).